Sound Engine

HEGEL MUSIC SYSTEMS is a Norwegian audio electronics manufacturer that has been slowly and steadily making a mark on the high-end audio world since it started out in the early 1990s. One thing that distinguishes Hegel from other audio companies is its portfolio of proprietary technologies that were developed in-house by founder and chief designer Bent Holter. SoundEngine, the most well-known of these, emerged from Holter’s university student thesis, which explored the issue of reducing harmonic distortion in an amplifier while retaining a high damping factor. Now up to version 2, SoundEngine is incorporated throughout the full Hegel line, including new products like the H390 integrated amplifier ($6,000).

Having had previous experience with Hegel gear, I find two constants in the company’s offerings. The first is a dedication to simplicity. Hegel integrated amps and preamps generally feature a spartan black chassis and a front panel that’s completely feature-free aside from a pair of input select and volume control dials. In the H390, these flank a black-and-white OLED display that indicates current input, volume level, and the sampling